French onion soup

French Onion Soup

Bowl of french onion soup
Origin
Alternative name(s)	onion soup
Place of origin	France
Region or state	all
Creator(s)	Multiple claims
Dish details
Serving temperature	hot
Main ingredient(s)	Onion Beef broth Croutons Cheese
Variations	Vegan Versions

French onion soup served on a plate

French onion soup (Soupe à l'oignon) is an onion and beef broth or a beef stock based soup traditionally served with croutons and cheese as toppings. Although ancient in origin, this dish underwent a resurgence of popularity in the 1960s in the United States due to an increased popularity for French cuisine.^[1]

History

Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. They were, throughout history, seen as food for poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. The modern version of this soup originates in France in the 18th century,^[1] made from beef broth, and caramelized onions. It is often finished by being placed under a grill in a ramekin traditionally with croutons and gruyère melted on top. The crouton on top is reminiscent of ancient soups (see History of Soup).

Preparation

A lighter French onion soup with croutons

The rich flavor of the base is not due just to the broth, but to the caramelized onions.^[2] Caramelization, in this case, is the procedure in which the onions are cooked slowly until the melting sugars approach burning temperature, becoming brown. Some recipes suggest a half an hour of cooking time, but many chefs and cooks allow for hours of cooking to bring out the complex flavors of the onions' sugars. Sweating the onions to draw out the liquid is an important step in caramelization. This can be accomplished by tossing the onions in a fat of choice (olive oil, butter, or bacon fat), adding salt, and then covering the pot and letting the onions cook over very low heat. The salt and heat draw the liquid out of the onions.^[3]In the final stages of cooking, cognac or sherry is often used to enhance the caramelized onion flavor and to deglaze the pan.^[4]

The base is usually topped with the crouton,^[4] which will be very dry and crusty to allow it to withstand lying on the soup surface while baked or broiled with a good melting cheese on top. In some instances, a slice of plain bread can also be used. The soup is then served in the bowl or ramekin in which it was broiled or baked.

Variations

Variations of the basic recipe include:

• Blended in a blender and served smooth
• A vegetarian variation using vegetable stock instead of beef stock.^[5]
• Chicken stock substituted for beef stock, which makes a lighter-colored broth

See also

• French cuisine
• List of soups

References

1. ^ ^{a b} French onion soup at The Food Timeline website
2. ^ French Onion Soup at marthastewart.com
3. ^ Go Chic or Go Home. "Caramelized Onions and French Onion Soup...A Love Story. 17 December 2010. URL: http://gochicorgohome.com/awesome/caramelized-onions-and-french-onion-soup-love-story
4. ^ ^{a b} frenchonionsoups.com
5. ^ Bennett, Beverly L.,Vegetarian French Onion Soup at The Vegan Chef

External links

• French Onion soup recipe
• Really recipe of the onion soup (French)
• Pellaprat's French Onion Soup Recipe from 1967
• Alton Brown's French Onion Soup Recipe
• French Food at Home